


Trust

by RaneBeau



Category: Original Work
Genre: Africa, Animal Transformation, Feral Behavior, Implied Mpreg, Lions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, OLD OLD OLD, Post Mpreg, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, Spirit Animals, Two-Spirit, do not read if you're allergic to cringe, lion shifters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24382114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaneBeau/pseuds/RaneBeau
Summary: I wrote this in high school and it's... something.Jarabi has been a slave for as long as she can remember, but after the birth of his son he makes a vow. He will find his son again.Matthew is a bastard, a shifter who smells almost human. He wanted a family, a pride, and a part in his past, but that's impossible unless he finds someone just as fucked up as him.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I wrote this in high school, so there's no graphically described sex or violence. It's referenced and implied, but that is it. I know that most people would have loved if I had made this character transgender, but the fact of the matter is you can't have a penis and give birth at the same time. I would know, I have tried. Thank you for reading and I hope you don't hate it.

I forced myself to stay completely still as a group of servants harshly cleaned me. They dragged rough rags with scented oils across my skin so I would smell of something “christian” instead of my natural scent. The sharp scent hurt my sensitive nose, but I didn't dare say anything against it as it was Masters favorite. He said it made him feel pure when he defiled even me, a sinner and cursed being. The Lord was unforgiving of his own shifter nature, let alone mine. 

"He is clean enough. Dress him and then bring him to the center chamber for the blessing of my son." Master commanded with smug satisfaction as the lion in me quivered with anger.

She snarled and growled inside my chest making the tribal markings tattooed there to itch painfully with unrest. I kept my face blank as usual, but I could not stop the single tear that found its way down my cheek. The servants quickly got to work applying the traditional markings of my culture to represent a female who just gave birth on my upper hips without paying any mind. It wasn’t unusual for the Master to make quipps with the hopes of provoking my sensitive counterpart into giving him a reason to beat us. I was given a simple pair of shorts that didn't cover much of anything and a shawl to wrap around my hips with metal coins dangling, clanking with my every movement.

The ceremonial shawl was wrapped around my waist and knotted over my right hip to signify that I was a slave and not a dancer. I was used to not being covered so I didn't bother with shame. It never did me any good anyways. It was my first child, but it was not my first master. 

"You’re ready Jabari. Master will meet you in the hall. Behave, or you'll be bruised for your next master." The oldest servant said with a pinch to my side. Her fingers were chubby with the rations she stole from the slaves, but they hurt nonetheless. 

I nodded obediently, but still raised my chin in defiance as I walked to the hall. My hips still ached from giving birth to my son two short weeks ago, but I wasn't allowed pain relief. Even so, I wouldn't have taken any. The pain would soon be my only reminder that I had any children at all. That was the life of a birthing slave; I was born to have children for the lords that were gay or had barren mates. Once I had produced a suitable heir I was sold to the next lord or man of power. They would keep my child and I would keep the pain of leaving it in their hands. 

I walked the long hallway until I reached the door to the ceremony hall. Master was waiting for me with a sinister look in his frighteningly dark eyes. In his arms was my boy. He had been a wiggly baby even before he was born and he was loud too. I loved it because that meant I could hear him from my chambers at night as the nurse tried to calm him. The youngest of the lord;s wives was two years older than me at eighteen, but she cried along with him. She had no clue how to handle a child, let alone such a special one like mine.

"You can carry him until he is blessed and then I'm sending you back to the market." He gave me a narcissistic grin that told me he was very pleased with himself. The most effective of punishments for not truly being his.

I only nodded and took my son into my arms. He immediately quieted down and stared at me like I was a god. My heart swelled and tears welled up in my eyes as he reached up a chubby arm to pat my face in awe. I held him with one hand so I could grab his hand and press it to my cheek and lips. He gave me gummy smiles and sleepy yawns that I promised to forever have them ingrained in my mind. I could almost cry at the sheer joy that came to my heart seeing my wiggly baby shift into a strong lion cub. I tightened my grip on the cub and kissed his forehead as he batted my long hair.

"Come slave. No crying during the ceremony or I'll whip you."

I nodded quickly and followed behind him with my son in my hands. The blessing would be done by a priest in front of Masters' entire estate. All the servants and wives and husbands of Lord Rafin would watch as the priest put the traditional markings of luck on the boy and formally introduced him to them. Then the family would officially name him so all would know his name and respect it. Silently I gave him a true name just for me and him, Mosi. My first born son.

The priest used his finger to smear brown and whites across his forehead and his chubby cheeks as I kept him calm with a lullaby. When the symbols were painted on I was instructed to lift him up so everyone could get a view of their future leader. The cub tucked his tail and whined at being away from my warmth as the whole crowd cheered loudly. I couldn’t help the pride that showed clearly on my face as I brought him back to my chest. 

"Our heir and future Lord - David." The priest announced.

My chest burned, but I still smiled. I brought Mosi back to my chest and kissed his forehead. He smiled up at me until suddenly he was roughly taken from my grasp. I gasped in pain looking up to see Master handing my son to his first wife. I cried out and stumbled as I reached for him. I heard the wife trying to calm my son as he screamed out for his real mother. For me. I couldn’t reach him before I was falling to my knees in pain. Master brought the cane down on my back again, but the physical pain meant nothing to me. 

The lord sneered at me, "Don't touch my son you filthy vermin." 

He grabbed me by my long black hair and dragged me to the hall. I was trying my best to ignore the pain in my head as I continued to reach out for my son with tears rolling down my cheeks. The youngest wife, the only one that had been friendly to me while I was with child, was just looking at me with a satisfied smirk as she tried to sooth my son. I was proud to say that he was inconsolable as he rejected even the breast of the woman holding him.

"I'll kill you!" I howled as I was thrown out into the night, "I'll kill you all! He's my son!"

-

My tail whipped back and forth as I paced in the cage avoiding the charged wires and licking the remaining blood from my jaw as I watched the man assigned to handle me very closely. He was a tall man with plenty of muscle and a face full of hair that I had only seen on male lion shifters before. Even with the clear signs I could smell on his skin that he was human or at least mostly human. He was not anointed with the tattoos of our people nor did he wear garb that revealed his status. He just wore a plain colored shirt and tight pants like a human. 

"Are you sure that this is what killed all those people? Lions aren't normally that aggressive for no reason." He asked the man he had been assigned me from.

"I'm sure. My men walked in on her eating the Lord's legs right off his body. Even stranger she just sat there and left us lock her up." The fat man said as if proud of her accomplishments, "We don't think she's a shifter though. It's been a week and her human side hasn't shown even a bit."

"We'll see," Was all the man said in reply.

He crouched down in front of my cell and studied me. His deep gold eyes searched my face even as I walked as far as I could walk and threatened him with my teeth. Then to the man's surprise he flipped off the electricity running through the cage and opened the door. I walked out and stalked towards the man who put me in the cage with a menacing cat grin. I didn't appreciate being locked up like a wild animal even if I was one. Tau, my lion, agreed whole heartily and let out a roar that passed through our fangs and vibrated the ground beneath our feet.

The handler cooed, "Don't worry she won't hurt you. Will you?"

I roared again and stalked forward still until the fat man had backed himself against a wall. He was sweating like a cheese left in the sun and it made my lip curl up with utter disgust. How dare this fowl human think that he could lock me up and take the credit for catching me like a child in a game of hide and seek. I might have agreed to leave with them, but not to be treated like a common house cat.

"How can you tell?" The fat man asked the handler trying to smile through his fear. 

"You're still alive." The handler laughed walking forward until we were shoulder to shoulder.

I huffed at him and snapped my jaws making the fat man piss himself filling the air with another disgusting scent. I circled back, walking around the handler, flicking him in the leg with my tail and heading away from the handler and toward his electric cage. For all his inhuman wisdom I didn't trust him for a second so I struck out with my claws and took off the whole front side of the cage just to be sure they wouldn’t put me back in it. 

They're just lucky they got there after I destroyed that despicable, pathetic excuse for a lord or they would have joined the bodies marking my path. His disgusting wife should be thankful that she died of sickness before I could get my teeth on her. The only thing that was missing from the castle was my son. It made my heart sink in my chest to think that maybe I was too late. Tau growled again at the thought. They didn’t think of such things. They would find him if it killed them to do it. 

"Shift. We need to speak otherwise you'll be sold to a circus." The buyer threatened snapping his fingers in an impatient manner.

I shifted and took a casual stance with my hands clasped behind my back. I had years of practice at looking defenseless so I could get close enough to tear out a throat. My human nails had been grown out and filed to harsh points coated with a handmade nail paint that made them stronger and poisonous when they ripped the skin. I wasn't about to be taken advantage of again. I was going to find my son and I was going to kill all who tried to stop me.

I maintained my calm stance even as the man walked toward me, "You can't hold me here." 

"No one is trying to hold you here." The other man replied just as calmly.

I nodded towards him without otherwise reacting and started to leave out the door I was brought in through. I was stopped by a big hand on my upper arm. I had expected it. There was always a catch with humans. I turned and through me Tau began to growl low in our throat. The hand released me, but the look on the older males face told me that it would quickly return if he felt it was needed.

"I'm afraid you've committed crimes that can't go unpunished." He told me seriously.

"What were you doing when you were sixteen?" I replied, matching his level of seriousness.

"I was going to school. Why?"

"Because when I was sixteen I was giving birth to my son. Then he was taken from me and I'll do anything to get him back." I told him letting Tau reinforce my words with her lioness gravel, "When I can hold my son again then I will gladly pay for the means I took to get him in my arms. Until then you will release me or join his kidnappers in the afterlife."

I heard the putrid man that brought me here whimper and fill the air with the scent of his vile fear once again. The metal coins that were sewn into my shawl jangled as I angled my hips to flee almost unnoticeably, but the man's stance shifted as well to accommodate. I heard my lion growl in my head reprimanding me for thinking that this would be easy. I shouldn't have let them take me at all. I was beginning to regret not just killing them all.

"You killed Lord Rafil, three of his wives, and three fourths of his guard. That cannot go unpunished." He said remaining calm, "Besides do you even know where to look for your cub?"

"I will go and you will not stop me. I will fight you if need be.”

"How close are you to your heat?" He sniffed the air looking confused.

If he could sense a heat coming then there was no way that he was human. I took a deep whiff of his scent and studied his mannerisms thoroughly. He shook his head gently letting soft waves of his scent reach me. It was a move that male lions did often when a female approached her heat and was looking for a partner during the long week. It was almost impossible not to get pregnant during a heat so modern shifters often avoided their counterparts or spent them as animals locked up under medical care. Slaves were heavily bred, but I wasn’t a slave anymore. 

My eyes widened and I smoothly melted into a half form to allow my senses to sharpen. My now released tail whipped back and forth as I bent into a tense crouch ready to pounce at a moment's notice. The scent was mixed. A lion dunked in the scent of a human. 

"Bastard." I growled at him laughing cruelly. 

"I was stolen from my pride when I was a baby. I was raised by my human parents until I was nineteen when I shifted and my parents confessed. I know how your son feels. You can't just rip him away from all that he knows." He explained, tense in offense.

I stopped laughing and growled, "He needs his mother. I am his pride. He needs me." 

With that I shifted fully and took off towards the door. With my back leg muscles I pushed the door off of its hinges and stalked out down the hallway not running, but going faster than a walk. I didn't want to trot and miss something. I remembered the way to the back where they unloaded the trucks, but I didn't want to hinder my progress by accidentally getting lost. I hadn’t been back to this manor in seven years and all seven of those years I fought to remember every single detail about my Mosi. I could barely remember what my corner of the floor looked like anymore. 

The shifter caught up easily and trotted beside me knocking me into the wall with a powerful shove trying to get me to submit. Tau wanted to. She wouldn't mind barring his cubs, but that was simply because of his show of strength and lack of fear. I, on the other hand, wasn't going to let my cub go one more day without me for some stupid bastard no matter how strong and fearless. I got up and got down low, wiring my muscles up taunt to leap.

He was smart. He stood far enough back into the hallway that I couldn't just leap over him and close enough that he could fight me back. The walls of the hallway were close but not so close that I couldn't pace slightly working out my next move. I was getting closer and closer to my heat so if I didn't leave soon I would end up with another child whether either of us consented or not. It was biology and some lions would have followed me to the ends of the earth to take part, but I couldn’t let that part of me take over. This was a rescue mission. 

"Let me go." My lion growled at the other lion.

"Can't."

With that I attacked. I blindly struck out with my claws trying to rip apart anything that got close. I just went with no tactic or forethought. Having a strategy won you the war, but you can’t fight bullshit and I just needed to win this battle. The male lion soon backed down in confusion giving me the opportunity to leap over him and stalk away with a chuckle.

I quickly navigated the hallways without bothering to slow or pay attention to details anymore. When I reached the loading and unloading dock I jumped on an outward truck and sat down triumphant. Just as the truck began to pull away the man appeared at the door shifted back into his human smelling skin.

"My name is Matthew!" He shouted, grinning for some reason.

I rolled my eyes and turned around so all he could see was my back. I could hear his laugh but I paid no mind. A lion raised by humans was barely a lion. I would never see him again anyways.

-  
Matthew

As soon as the truck was out of sight I pulled my cell out of my pants pocket and phoned the driver. The driver, my friend Josh, agreed easily to take his stowaway to the center where he worked since it was only a couple minutes deviation from his route. The rehabilitation center that I worked at wouldn't be happy that I let him get away in the first place, but since I never technically lost him they would probably keep me on the case. It was an interesting one, but given the volatile nature of this woman there wouldn’t be a ton of people chomping at the bit to replace me. 

My lion, Finn, was pacing restlessly at the thought of an unmated female so close to heat out of his sight. If I had been raised as a part of my birth pride I probably would have started my own pride by now with my own land. It pained me to think of my adoptive parents and the fact that because my scent smelled like them after being by them for so long that no lion would want to teach me tradition or start a pride with me. It inspired me to take a more focused course with his shifter rehabilitation certification. I would help kidnapped and enslaved big cat shifters like him. 

The lion mother's reaction was enough to send pain shooting through my chest. I was going to be alone for the rest of my life or until I found someone willing to marry me despite either the fact that I was a shifter or the fact that I smelt human, but she had lost her child. I shook the negative thoughts from my head and headed towards the front of the estate to get in my car. The drive helped him get back into work mode.

A few of the workers had already surrounded the restless shifter, standing on guard so she couldn’t escape again. I walked up and the workers that recognized me relaxed taking a step back from him. He growled and paced frustrated. When he saw me he only got angrier.

"Why are you here? What is this place?" He growled.

"This is a center for shifters abused or wronged whether by their own kind or humans doesn't matter, we just help shifters in need and get them back on their feet." I told him, taking his arm to lead him forcefully in the building.

His face was hard, but he didn't seem to be angry anymore. He took a stretchy band off his wrist and tied his long hair up in a long ponytail with a sigh as they walked. The hair being pulled away from his face revealed more of his face revealing some masculine and some feminine features. His jaw was sharp and angular like a males, but his eyes were like a female along with his nose. It was a balance. He had never met a two spirit lion before. The phenomenon wasn’t unusual in wolves or bears, but lions were usually one spirit. Part male lion and part male human. Part female lion and part female human. 

“What’s your name?”

The shifter looked at me scornfully, “I am Jabari and my lion is Tau.” 

I wracked my brain for the african meaning of his name, “Brave lion?”

“I was named by slavers. What’s your excuse, Useless Human?” 

He bared his teeth in a feline grin. His tightly braided hair swung with the force I used to shake him, but it didn’t seem to do anything to affect him more than shaking out a deep chuckle tainted with the voice of his lion. I wasn’t upset, but a part of me longed to just force him to submit. That probably had more to do with the sweet smell of heat coming off of him in waves. 

It wasn’t long before we reached the intake center and Mason came to take him off my hands. The snow leopard was a former resident of the center so he was the best when dealing with the tough ones. His silvery hair was loose and curling around his ears as he grinned, but before he could greet me with his usual flirty hug he was warned away by Jabari’s growl. His face betrayed nothing, but contempt, but every shifter in the room knew what that meant, myself included. I had been claimed.

“Well, well. It seems you won’t be needing a guide afterall. There should be a heat room already set up.” Mason said without blinking an eye at the display. 

A quick look was all it took to realize that Jabari had already begun to sweat and would soon be in a full fledged heat. Mason led us to a heat room fully equipped with ready to eat food, water, blankets, and cushions. I peaked in to make sure that it all looked good. Before I could leave my arm was grabbed in a harsh grip pulling me back into the room. 

“We will share this heat and then you will take me to find my son?” The shifter asked peering up at me with wide brown eyes. 

I didn’t even have a chance to shake off the influence of his smell before being attacked by his eyes. I nodded uselessly and grabbed his waist hauling it to me with a force only a lion could take. The display of strength pleased Tau, made evident by the way she released her tail and eyes growling in my face with pleasure. Oh, I thought to myself, this is what screwed tastes like.

-

Jabari

I groaned in pain as I took stock of my injuries. Even in human form heat took a toll on a body. I hadn’t yet had my first heat when I was first sold as a birthing slave, but I had heats since then alone in the wild while I bid my time. Escaping from the slavers hadn’t been easy. I had a broken ankle and a child in my womb that soon passed. 

Seven years of waiting until Tau was strong enough only to get stuck in a heat as my child was still lost. Beside me the human lion still slept peacefully, his face softened and at ease. I couldn’t help the feeling of content that filled my chest as I watched him sleep. He would make a good lion. I was sure that he would lead a decent pride and even care for the child that would soon begin to grow in my stomach. 

“Wake up you useless human.” I growled in his face startling him out of sleep. 

Instead of fighting back in anger he pulled me close to him purring in my ear. There was a giddy feeling that I ignored as I dug my claws into his arm until he released me. Still he used his other arm to pin me down and make my arms useless. Tau would be no help as she was quite satisfied with the man and his lion. She liked them both after a week locked in this room. Our first heat and in theory we were happy. 

“Release me. Now.” 

He purred more, “Sleep for a while longer and then I will release you.” 

Tau purred back forcing me back with a partial shift. She was enjoying this way too much. I bit back a reply and let my mind wander as Tau and her new toy rested. Mosi would be so big now. Seven years old meant that he could talk and begin training with the older lions to hunt. Maybe if his pride was kind they would let him dance and cook with the lionesses. Only three years until he could choose a guild. His lion must be growing dark hairs on the back of his neck to signify his beautiful mane. Maybe he was being raised by humans of Rafil’s choosing that beat him when he spoke out of turn or didn’t learn his numbers fast enough. Did he even speak to his lion in their language? 

When I left that horrible place I made sure to leave the cloth that he was first wrapped in. It would be adorned with bells and coins to wish him well on his journey of life and embroidered with his true name. Every lion’s shaw was completely or at least a piece of their birth cloth. Mine was made by my mother and her pride. I could barely remember her, but my shaw was our connection and if I could see her again I would ask her why she’d leave me this gift only to sell me. I hoped that Mosi would be angry and upset so I could soothe him. Anger was so much better than sadness. 

“What is your son’s name?” 

I was shook from my thoughts and shifted back to full human form. Rolling to face the man I thought of my answer. Of course his name was Mosi, but Rafil would never let him keep it. It was a lion’s name. A shifter’s name, and he hated the shifter in him more than anything. I was happy to cut it out of him. 

I couldn’t help the smile that rose to my face. “His name is Mosi. He was born on June 16th. I remember because it was so hot and I was in so much pain, but I was so happy. He had skin darker than the night sky and his eyes were light, even lighter than mine. A miracle. I remember the last day I saw him Lord Rafil called him something else, but it’s been seven years and I spent so long wishing for him I forgot everything but what it felt like to hold him in my arms that day.” 

Matthew looked at me in awe. I had seen so many of his faces over the week, but no one had ever looked at me like that. Like I was a god, like Mosi did. It made me wonder if we would be a good match. He didn’t look at me like I was a slave, less than. He was good in bed even if my mind was too clouded by my heat to remember the details. Maybe when I found my son he would be willing to help me still, but he tried to raise one hand to my son that would ruin it and I’d have to kill him. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked with a smile on his face. 

“I don’t care if your child thinks you’ve hung the moon. If you lay one hand on Mosi I will murder you without remorse and raise both of my children alone.” 

Instead of getting offended or defensive, Matthew groaned lowering his head to my throat. His teeth scraped the sensitive skin there. My back arched in response and I turned my head to give him all the access he wanted. I wanted to demand that he answer or make a vow to never hurt him, but my mind was blank. All I could do was buck my hips and bite my lip so a moan didn’t escape. 

“You’re such a good mother to my cub.”

Before the encounter could go anywhere the door to the cell opened and I was left on the ground while the lion stood to protect my honor. His roar shook the room as he stood unashamed of his nakedness even in human form to protect me. I quickly reached for my clothes and put them on as fast as possible. Once I was clothed I stroked his back to soothe him. 

“Sorry Matt. The boss lady wants you in her office.” 

I recognized the cat who had reached for him before my heat and felt Tau grow taunt with anger, “His name is Mat-tew.” 

“It’s pronounced Matthew.” He chuckled in response. 

I barely knew I was moving when a thick arm around my waist stopped me from ripping the offending cat’s eyes out of their sockets. He wasn’t a lion and he wasn’t welcome as far as Tau or I were concerned. The scent of my heat was still swirling in the room and sticking to my skin. If he dared look at what I had claimed as mine I would make him regret it. 

“Maybe you should leave until Jabari has a chance to rest Mason.” He growled still holding me close. 

I could feel his hardness against my back and it made me want to… I growled again to reinforce his words. The time was coming to find Mosi, but this snake of a cat would not be going near anything that I had unless he wanted my claws in his organs. Something about his silver eyes made me crave blood. 

Once he was gone Matthew spun me around and lifted me by my waist until my feet didn’t touch the floor. His arms barely even strained with the effort as he walked me to the wall. I barely even felt the cold wall against my back, my mind was filled with him. 

-

Matthew

I was in pain with a side of ouch. My back was torn to hell, my mind felt like someone put it in a blender, and worst of all my dick was raw. None of that explained why I was pounding into Jabari, heat free, begging him to hurry up and have my child so I could knock him up again. I had sex with many lions, both female and male, but none had the effect of this one. He was so wild and untamed it made me want to be wild too. I wanted him to have my children. 

I grabbed a handful of his knotted hair and pulled exposing his neck to me. My tongue had never tasted anything as filling. He tasted like a lion. The sweat and blood of his enemies. I bit gently over his pulse as I finished inside him. He followed shortly after with a pleased groan. I wanted to wrap him up in the finest clothes and take him to my home so he could rest, but something told me that wasn’t his style. 

I gently put him on his feet and soothed his neck with gentle licks and kisses. He swatted at me half heartedly. Still, his chest rumbled with a pur. He had thought of being my mate, I could tell. He was rolling it over in his head if I was worthy of it. He wanted me to meet his son. For humans it was a big deal, but for shifters especially lionesses it was the biggest deal seeing as other lions will seriously harm others young if they’re wanting a woman for themselves. I was trying hard to be objective, but all my wishes just started coming true and I couldn’t just hold my balls while it all slipped away. 

I cleaned him up the best I could and watched as he slipped back into his clothes. The shirt he wore was thin and loose so his collar was still revealed. His shorts were so small they barely covered anything, but his wrap made up for that bound tightly around his waist and folded so it had a small pocket, but still jangled as he walked. My tee and jeans didn’t exactly have the same flare. 

“You will go to this boss and you will tell them to find my son.” Jabari commanded looking right into my eyes. 

“I will ask her to help us. She is a lion too, she’ll understand. We’ll find him.” I assured him. 

Even clothed I could tell that he had just been in heat and he was tired. I was too, but I had to go talk to Mrs. Adah. She was my boss. I kissed him roughly on the lips before leaving the heat room. I didn’t realize how much it smelt like sex in there until i had a breath of fresh air. Thankfully the hallways weren’t filled with shifters to smell me and make fun. 

Entering the office I could immediately smell a child. He smelt like turmeric and it made me want to rub my nose, but out of respect I didn’t I just sat down in front of my boss trying not to seem intimidating. She was a tiny thing, but she was fueled by the fear of her employees. Her blonde hair was knotted in a bun today which helped. It meant she was in a good mood. 

“Mrs. Adah. How can I help you?” I asked respectfully. 

She lifted her head from the paperwork on her desk and pinned him with a look, “I was told you know the name of the shifter you brought in.” 

“Jabari, ma’am. Jabari Tau.” 

“Do you know his guild?” 

“I would assume that it’s the slave guild, but no. Not for sure.” 

“Let’s keep it that way. I have a missing persons report for a Jabari Tau. The guild is unlisted so if we don’t know his guild we can’t be sure it’s the right person. The person that reported him as a history as a slaver, but if he can’t prove that he is responsible for this specific Jabari then we have no reason to report our findings.” She cleared her throat purposefully, “It does say here that he’s given birth. I have a similar report saying that a David aged seven was removed from an abusive home earlier in the year. Do you know of any David?” 

“I haven’t heard the name, but Jabari is looking for his son. Age seven, but named Mosi.” 

“How fortunate that this boy who claims to be lost is named Mosi and is looking for his mother.”

Mrs. Adah snapped her fingers and Mason pushed a small boy into the room. The sharp scent of fear filled the room as well as the boy’s own smell of spice. Despite the fear his face showed anger and he punched the hands holding him with all of his strength. Even his hair was the same as his mothers. His skin was darker than Jabari’s but his features were the same. This was his son. 

“You found him?” I asked in shock.

“Technically he was brought to us when he shifted and tried to attack his foster parents. His parents, Lord Rafil and his wives, were charged with child abuse and neglect, but before they could appear in court a feral lion broke into their home and murdered them. This child is as wild as a fire and seems to have a hand made cloth given to lions at their births in more traditional tribes so I looked a little harder into his parentage. Then, someone came to me about a wild lion who murdered a bunch of people looking for his son who didn’t go through intake because one of my workers decided to help him through a heat. I assume that you’ll be needing some time off to get them settled.” 

“Thank you.” I replied past the knot in my throat. 

I had a family. A wild son who didn’t know that he was missing and a wild mate who had just found his son. There was a feeling in my chest that I passed off as heartburn. Before I could talk myself out of it I knelt down in front of the boy and removed Mason’s hands. He looked at me with suspicion and when he made the same face Jabari made before doing something dumb I quickly scooped him off the floor onto my chest. I pressed his head into my neck and stood to my feet. 

“I’ll be going now.” I told them both. 

I walked out of the office with a hop in my step as I held the boy close. Some lions couldn’t handle being in close proximity with male children because their biology made them a threat to their homes, but I think my biology had been persuaded out of me. All I could think about was my mate reading his son a bedtime story with his stomach swollen with our child. My family. 

I heard him call out as I opened the door to the room, “Mat-tew? Did you find him?” 

“I did you one better, my love. I brought him to you.” I answered by stepping in the room. 

Jabari’s face could have lit up the world when he spied the boy in my arms. I set him down carefully and then stepped back to avoid the punch he threw at my legs. He spun around to attack his mother, but fell silent at the look on his face. His cloth was tied around his neck and it jangled when he tugged on it nervously. Under it he looked half human in his jeans and hoodie, but their faces were the same. 

“This is David. He was taken away from Lord Rafil a while before you went there, but he was brought here when he shifted to scare his foster parents. My boss made the connection. Also, you have to choose a new guild. You can’t be a slave anymore.” 

“His name is Mosi. He is my son.” 

Jabari’s eyes were watering as he took in the sight and fell to his knees. In the moment of weakness Tau sprung forward approaching the boy in her full lioness form. The boy shifted as well in response taking a submissive stance as he watched her carefully. I closed the door behind me quietly. Then I let Finn come forward as well. He rubbed his head against his mate and then leaned forward to sniff the boy that would be our son. He felt no urge to hurt the boy, probably because we already knew that Tau was pregnant with our cub. She still reached out and snapped at our neck to force us away from him as expected. 

Instead of pushing the issue I made a wounded noise and fell to my side dramatically. Neither of them paid any attention so I settled down to watch. It wasn’t long before they were smelling each other's scents and making it so they mixed. Soon my eyes were closing to sleep and they were curled around each other resting as well.


End file.
